A HOPELESS sneak thief who led police to his door when he stole an iPad was given a community order.

Ronald Bowe took the Apple computer from St Nicholas’s Cathedral in Newcastle.

But he was unaware the it contained an application which allowed its owner Xin Shi to locate where it was on an online map.

The ‘Find my iPad’ app provides the location of the computer anywhere in the world, and gives the owner the option of sounding an alarm and locking it remotely.

Now Bowe, 59, of Gainford, Allerdene, in Gateshead, has become one of the first thieves in the country to be convicted using the GPS tracking system.

Mr Shi, 28, left his bag, which also contained his passport, two mobiles, cash and a bank card, at the back of the cathedral on March 2 so he could go to the front and pray.

When he returned to pick it up, he realised it was gone.

After reporting the theft, Mr Shi went home where he logged straight on to the Apple website and used built-in GPS tracking systems to trace it.

PCs Paul Garrett and Andy Kay then attended his home where PC Garrett downloaded the app on his iPhone to trace the stolen property.

Bowe was sentenced at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court where he was given a two-month community order, with a curfew after admitting theft by finding. Mr Shi said: “When I rang the police to say my bag had been stolen, they told me to go home and they would send somebody round.

“When I got home, my friend and I just thought ‘I’m going to have a go at finding this’.

“So I went on the website and straight away saw it was in Gateshead.

“So, when the police came over, I showed them how to download and use the app on the officer’s iPhone because they didn’t know how.

“I’m so happy I got my iPad back. I was shocked when it was stolen. I couldn’t believe someone would do that in a place where people go to pray to God.

“Hopefully, it will put other thieves off stealing iPads and smart phones. I really want to thank the police for all their help. I didn’t think I’d see the iPad again.”

PC Garrett added: “The victim was very quickly aware that he was able to use this technology to locate his belongings.

“I downloaded the application on to my own mobile phone and used the victim’s password to be able to track his iPad directly.”

Chief Insp Julian Bowran, said: “Most smart phones have GPS tracking systems and there are applications available that can make the most of this.”

Mark Humble, defending, said he couldn’t remember clearly, but thought he found the bag on a bus.

He said: “Mr Bowe sustained a serious head injury in 1994, which resulted in scar tissue on his brain and he regularly suffers blackouts.”